TEAO’S PURPOSE

Give more marginalized and vulnerable youth, adults and their families the services they need; more quickly, and more effectively to prevent and reduce the personal, social and economic costs of mental health and addictions problems.

Create awareness and education around typically unspoken mental health topics and stigmas.
Work to prevent suffering and support the road to recovery throughout the lifespan.

MISSIONS & VALUES

TEAO & SAF(ER) SPACES

TEAO is a diverse group; we understand that historically, culturally, and socially racialized and 2SLGBTQQIA+ folks have experienced marginalization, discrimination and oppression because of their identities. These include but are not limited to race/ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, socio-economic class, cultural background, religion, spirituality, immigration status, physical embodiment, neurodiversity, and cognitive & physical abilities.

A Safer Spaces Policy is a more realistic approach to working with Trauma in the community. We understand that good intention is not enough to prevent harm and violence. Consciously or unconsciously, anyone can harm others based on their self-location and markers of privilege. We do not presume to be a SAFE space for everyone or guarantee everyone will be safe at every encounter with our allies, community organizations, and members.

@TEAO_CANADA

We LOVE This! ❤️ #takeabreak #relaxation #tips Repost from @soothing_breathe 4-2-8-2 Breathing to lower the Heart Rate. Follow for More ♥️☮️ Heres how you can perform this 4-2-8-2 Exercise. 4 Seconds Inhale 2 Seconds Hold 8 Seconds Exhale 2 Seconds Hold Again Repeat the process till you feel relaxed Breathe in through your nose, breathe out through your mouth like you’re gently blowing out a candle. Or you can just breathe in and out through your nose if that feels good to you. Exhale is twice as long as the inhale, which can gradually lower your heart rate. The length of exhalations influences your heart rate. Longer exhalations engage the parasympathetic nervous system, the “rest and digest” system. As the parasympathetic system takes control, heart rate decreases, blood pressure stabilizes, and stress hormones diminish. This physiological process fosters calm, facilitating balance in the cardiovascular system. The deliberate practice of longer exhalations is a tool in cultivating a calm state of mind and reduced heart rate. #heartpalpitations #heartrate #breathing #pranayama #deepbreathing #relaxed

Exhaustion #welovethis ❤️❤️❤️ ⬇️ Repost @onepeopleto Exhaustion, like being a martyr, used to be a medal of honour. We are moving past self-sacrifice into... self-preservation self-support & RADICAL self-acceptance Community means “creating and communing” together rather than the old, expired way of waiting and watching a few key individuals DO for all, and then extracting what you need for yourself 💩 Find your communities. Then go BEYOND finding them to develop and commune with ACTION, not only words and language 👁 Thanks to @lamarodofficial for this WORD. #decolonizetheology #decolonizeyourmind _______ #intergenerationaltrauma #complextrauma #trauma #traumainformed #traumahealing #ancestraltrauma #mentalhealth #traumarecovery #traumainformedembodiment #childhoodtrauma #collectiverelationaltrauma #traumatherapy #embodiment #ancestralhealing #generationaltrauma 📸 @thereclaimed #amplifyingvoices

We ❤️ This! #amplifyingvoices Repost from @movetruebyjess This new mini series “My Mighty Mom” has been very healing. About a year ago, after a heartbreaking end to my marriage and dance partnership simultaneously, I discovered my “Inner Child” for the first time, and have since been devoted to finding my way back to her. ✨ The Inner Child’s instincts, wounds, and struggles influence so much of who we become as adults, our deepest fears, how we protect ourselves (often to our own detriment) and the way we operate in the world and in our intimate relationships. Healing on a deep level nearly always involves a trip to the past, to our primary care givers, and to the children we once were. 🙏 I am very blessed and grateful that my mom is still around to have these conversations with me and that she is so loving, humble, open, reflective, and honest. Although I am not a parent myself, I know that it is not an easy job and no parent is perfect. We all do the best we can in the face of life’s myriad of challenges and hope that with enough love and understanding, we can all heal. ♥️ . . . . . . . . . . . #innerchild #motheranddaughter #mymom #mom #conversationswithmom #mother #motherdaughter #iammymothersdaughter #healing #growing #healingjourney #psychologicalhealing #psychology #therapy #mymommasaid #loveandhealing #love #lovemom #loveyoumom #innerchildhealing #healingprocess #innerchildtherapy #innerchildwound #innerchildwork #shadowtherapy

We love posting collective educational resources! 🙌🏾 Repost from @yogaforhumankind • Changing the world means starting with how we treat each other. Let’s build communities where care, safety, and justice lead the way. 🌱 Tiles from @kaichengthom #CareNotPunishment #HealingJustice #ActivistSupport #ConflictTransformation #TogetherWeCan

“Caring for myself is not self-indulgence. It is self-preservation, and that is an act of political warfare.” — #audrelorde #politicalstance Audre Lorde’s concept of self-care, coined after her second cancer diagnosis, was a radical act of resistance against a society that values relentless productivity and hustle culture. For Lorde, self-care was a necessary and humanizing practice, affirming that individuals deserve care, especially from themselves, in a culture that seeks to exhaust and dehumanize them. While mainstream culture later reduced self-care to materialistic indulgence, Lorde’s vision was always political and empowering. True self-care is about finding and preserving joy in a world that often tries to strip it away, reminding us that we don’t have to earn care—we inherently deserve it. #decolonizetheology #decolonizeyourmind _______ #intergenerationaltrauma #complextrauma #trauma #traumainformed #traumahealing #ancestraltrauma #mentalhealth #traumarecovery #traumainformedembodiment #childhoodtrauma #collectiverelationaltrauma #traumatherapy #embodiment #ancestralhealing #generationaltrauma 📸 @thereclaimed #amplifyingvoices

#Repost @traumatorecoveryy ❗️Why Does This Happen? #facts #education #resources Mental health issues often develop slowly over time, making it hard to pinpoint exactly when they began. It’s common for someone to feel anxious, withdrawn, or overly sensitive and believe it’s just “who they are.” But in reality, these could be signs of deeper issues like anxiety, depression, or trauma that started years ago. Childhood Trauma Plays a Big Role Childhood trauma is one of the most significant contributing factors to mental health conditions later in life. Experiences like neglect, abuse, or even growing up in a highly dysfunctional household can leave lasting emotional scars. These early experiences shape how we see the world, how we handle stress, and even how we relate to others. But It’s Not Just Trauma While trauma is a key factor, there are other contributing elements, too. Family history of mental illness, environmental stressors, and even genetic factors can influence whether a person develops a mental health condition. Sometimes, it takes years for these issues to surface, making it difficult to connect the dots. What Can We Do About It? If you’re wondering why you’ve always struggled with certain emotions or behaviors, it might be time to explore whether past experiences are playing a role. Seeking therapy, reflecting on childhood experiences, and learning more about mental health can be crucial steps toward healing. Remember, you don’t have to live with the belief that “this is just who I am.” You can change, heal, and grow—no matter when or where the issue started. Ready to break the cycle of trauma and heal? If you’re ready to dive deeper into understanding how childhood trauma and other factors shape your mental health, check out our comprehensive self-help guide. In it, we cover everything from overcoming childhood trauma to setting boundaries, building healthy relationships, and breaking the cycle of dysfunction. Click the link in their bio✨ @traumatorecoveryy . . #childhoodtrauma #mentalhealthawareness #explore #explorepage #relatable #fyp #mentalhealth #selfawareness #selfhelp #selfhealers

#Repost (Link IN Bio): COLLECTIVE CARE SHARING CIRCLES this Thursday, Collective Care Series: Toronto:Tkaronto ~ Dec 5, 2024 - 6.30 to 8 PM, Circle with she_who_brings_the_storm 349 Ontario St (north of Dundas and east of Sherbourne) Tea & Mandazi’s (sweet bread) provided by donation ♥️🙏🏻 collaboration with @teao_canada and @tngcommunityto #circle #community #connection #CollectiveCare

Reposted Educational Awareness: Fostering trauma responsive care and inclusivity as an organization, holistically and through many non-traditional approaches to addressing trauma & mental health care that reaches the gaps and cracks of the health care system. Repost from @wethewomenasia This is for all the “stubborn” girls who grew up to become “difficult” women. 🎥- @unerasepoetry 🎤- @priyasometimes 🎵- @abhin.joshi #spokenword #womeninspiringwomen _______ #intergenerationaltrauma #complextrauma #trauma #traumainformed #traumahealing #ancestraltrauma #mentalhealth #traumarecovery #traumainformedembodiment #childhoodtrauma #collectiverelationaltrauma #traumatherapy #embodiment #ancestralhealing #generationaltrauma

Quote of the Day. #collectiveselfreflection “It is certain, in any case, that ignorance, allied with power, is the most ferocious enemy justice can have.” — James Baldwin #quoteoftheday #mood ___________ We as a collective here at TEAO Canada is working towards de-framing some cognitively led trainings and education; of how we might have been conditioned through perhaps a more colonial lens, as colonization may have inadvertently or advertently reached into the very psychosomatic structure our academia and training in organizational structures and institutions. . If we are embodying the material we may have to embody this notion too - providing more time for folks to rest, digest, and process the material individually or in groups. These trainings are to those interested in this invitation as we work towards embodying collective change, systemically. #checkoutourwebsite teaocanada.com OR #linkinbio _______ #intergenerationaltrauma #complextrauma #trauma #traumainformed #traumahealing #ancestraltrauma #mentalhealth #traumarecovery #traumainformedembodiment #childhoodtrauma #collectiverelationaltrauma #traumatherapy #embodiment #ancestralhealing #generationaltrauma

Oppression. #educational #awareness #awarenessiskey _______ #intergenerationaltrauma #complextrauma #trauma #traumainformed #traumahealing #ancestraltrauma #mentalhealth #traumarecovery #traumainformedembodiment #childhoodtrauma #collectiverelationaltrauma #traumatherapy #embodiment #ancestralhealing #generationaltrauma

Educational Resource: #reels #repost @wholeyumm Unprocessed emotions don’t just affect your mind; they can manifest in your body too. Take a moment to check in with yourself and release what’s been holding you back. 🌱 Follow @wholeyumm for more health tips for your mind and body! #MindBodyHealing #EmotionalHealth #StressRelief #HolisticWellness #MentalHealthAwareness #WellnessJourney #InnerPeace #SelfCare #HealthyMindset #BodyAwareness

Educational Resource: #destigmatizementalhealth Repost from @theschooloflifelondon Almost half of us will suffer from depression at some point in our lives, but the condition remains badly misunderstood and therefore often poorly treated. At the heart of our collective difficulty with depression is a confusion about what it actually is…⁠ ⁠ _______ #intergenerationaltrauma #complextrauma #trauma #traumainformed #traumahealing #ancestraltrauma #mentalhealth #traumarecovery #traumainformedembodiment #childhoodtrauma #collectiverelationaltrauma #traumatherapy #embodiment #ancestralhealing #generationaltrauma

(#Repost: @kellyowarrior) Collective Care Series (Toronto:Tkaronto) is a collaborative effort created by @teao_canada and Nicole Brown Faulknor @wounds2wings to hold Sharing Circles in Community with meeting space provided by @tngcommunityto in downtown Toronto east @ 349 Ontario Street. ➡️ CHECK OUT @teao_canada LINK IN BIO ⬅️ We are bringing together helpers, wholistic practitioners, Matriarchs, including @imcarolinabrown & she_who_brings_the_storm, along with space for Elders and Traditional Knowledge Keepers to share and connect to community to support healing and learning in a good way. For more information or to learn more about the Collective Care Series (Toronto:Tkaronto), those involved and the founder, Nicole Brown Faulknor, please use the QR code found on the post, DM or ask below #somatic #embodied #healing #trauma #community #TraditionalPractices #circle #cacao #hypnosis #meditation #movement #soma #GroupWork #connection #CollectiveCare #sharing #toronto

Trauma-Informed Care Circles. #group #peersupport #recovery #trauma #mentalhealth Starts January 22nd, 6:45-8pm @ideaxchng Cambridge, bi-weekly, in-person, 16+ TEAO Canada’s trauma-informed circles led by Nicole Brown Faulknor a blend somatic practices, psycho-education, and breathwork for healing. Thanks to the @regionofwaterloo Upstream Fund these bi-weekly groups will be FREE.. Group processing may be an area deserving of more time in communities, organically through conversations, breathwork and movement, which is how TEAO has begun to address trauma care and trauma health in communities. TEAO Canada will hold space for participants, led by Nicole Brown Faulknor — as both a trauma consultant/facilitator and registered psychotherapist. Nicole will explore somatic practices as well, as a way to support rebuilding a relationship with our bodies through collective grief, workspace conflict and institutional helplessness as a place to be heard (loved) in/from places of systems and hierarchical powerlessness and why your emotional health is our mental health. These circles will incorporate psycho-education, somatic health and breathwork to get participants in their somatic bodies to begin to process trauma. We are coming together in somatic movement during the group processing circle so that debriefing, trauma care and systemic care can be processed. LINK IN BIO or https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/trauma-informed-care-circles-tickets-1086134901729?utm_experiment=test_share_listing&aff=ebdsshios

Morning Education: Resource Sharing Repost from @plantsconnection Video Reposted from @ascent.strength.embodiment Here a 3 essentials that have become part of my daily Non-negotiables when it comes to movement. REBOUNDING ✓ APE HANDS NEUROLYMPHATIC TAPPING ▲ check out this video to find out why! When we think about movement, or exercise - we typically picture a gym, throwing a bunch of weights around, getting really sweaty, and pushing ourselves to uncomfortable places. The majority of us see exercise as some sort of punishment. Something we shame ourselves into “having to do.” I’m here to start changing the perspective on that. Movement comes in so many different forms. There are literally infinite ways for you to move! !! YES- movement is absolutely essential. Movement is at the center of absolutely everything in our existence. We, and all of this exists because of the principals of movement. • • • _______ #intergenerationaltrauma #complextrauma #trauma #traumainformed #traumahealing #ancestraltrauma #mentalhealth #traumarecovery #traumainformedembodiment #childhoodtrauma #collectiverelationaltrauma #traumatherapy #embodiment #ancestralhealing #generationaltrauma